Bag closure



C. V. BRADY BAG CLOSURE Sept. 18, 1945.

Filed Aug. 15, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 C. V. BRADY BAG CLOSURE Sept. 18, 1945.

Fil ed Aug. 13, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG.9.

Patented Sept. 18, 1945 BAG CLOSURE Charles V. Brady, Webster Groves, Mo., assignor to Bcmis Bro. Bag 00., St. Louis, Mo., 9. corporation of Missouri Application August 13, 1943, Serial No. 498,490

10 Claims.

This invention relates to bag closures, and with regard to certain more specific features, to sewn closures particularly for multi-wall paper bags and the like, although being applicable to other bags, if desired.

Among the several objects of the invention may be noted the provision of a sewn closure for bags, particularly multi-wall paper bags, in which hand-stitiching operations, to be performed in the field after the bags are full, may be accomplished without the necessity for piercing the tough paper material of the bags; the provision of a closure of this class wherein are avoided unclosed needle holes; the provision of a closure of the class described which eliminates application of fabric hems or strips to a paper bag for supplying a, stitching region, and which is more economical to make than a construction employing such a hem or strip; and the provision of a closure of this class which may readily be reopened when desired. Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the elements and combinations of elements, features of construction, and arrangements of parts which will be exemplified in the structures hereinafter described, and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanyin drawings, in which are illustrated several of various possible embodiments of the invention,

Fig. l is a side elevation of a multi-wall paper bag end showing a preliminary cord-applying m.

Fig. 2' is a much enlarged vertical section taken on line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing a subsequent step performed on an open closure;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing a subsequent step performed in order to complete the closure, the view being taken on line 44 of Fig.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged plan view of a closed bag embodying the invention;

the opposite closure parts laid out oppositely and flat for inspection;

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 7, but showing a subsequent turning-in step; and,

Fig. 10 is a side elevation of a bag showing final closure conditions in connection with the form of the invention shown in Figs. 7-9.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

The drawings are diagrammatic. What are actually relatively thin layers and strands of material are shown thick enough for'purposes of explaining the invention.

It is sometimes desirable, as during periods of textile shortages, that multi-wall paper bags be used in places where textile bags and textile bag technique are employed. Those who use textile bags, for which the multi-wall paper bags herein contemplated form substitutes, ordinarily perform closures on a bag after it has been filled by sewing a heavy twine or string through opposite sides of the bag wall adjacent its mouth. This is an easy practice in' the case of textile bags. Such people wish to continue this practice with paper bags, but in the absence of the present invention, it is open to several disadvantages. First, it is rather difllcult to force through the multi-walls of the paper bags the relatively large needles and twine that are used for the purpose. For instance, an ordinary four-layer kraft paper bag quite strongly resists penetration of a needle and so also does a multi-walled bag, wherein the walls are joined by asphalt adhesive. Second, even if a workman manages to insert the needle as described, these resulting needle holes tend to open under the stress from the contained load, which is of course undesirable.

It has been proposed to solve the above problem by sewing a hem or strip of fabric on the paper bag. This is quite costly, and in addition leaves factory-sewn needle holes. The present invention overcomes all of the above difliculties, besides producing an economical product.

Referring now more particularly to Fig. 1, there is shown a multi-wall bag having front and back walls I and 3, joined at edges by simple folds 2 and 4, without gussets. The bag material is made up, for example, of three layers 5 of paper attached by layers of asphalt I. As above mentioned, the thicknesses are exaggerated in the showing of the layers in Figs. 2, 3 and 4.

At about /1 inch from the bag mouth 9 there is factory-sewn amund the bag. without closing it, an anchor and sealing cord H, which may be made of relatively thick cotton, hemp or other suitable material. This cord is held to the bag by suitable stitching 13 passing through the cord and multi-layer bag walls. The stitching thread is smaller and preferably weaker than the cord H, the latter acting as padding on the outside of the bag to plug up the needle holes made by the stitching l3, thus preventing sifting. This plugging action on the needle holes is enhanced by the fact that the Dresser foot of the stitching machine tends to flatten out the cord H as stitching takes place, so that the cord tends to spring back to its original shape, as it will, the stitching holes are resiliently covered.

Next, the edges l! of the bag mouth are turned downward and inward into the bag, as indicated in Fig. 3, establishing a fold line at IE on the top edge of which is now located the cord H, where it is held in place by the stitching it. Since the cord H is of about the same perimeter as the bag mouth, the mouth may be freely manipulated without interference by the cord. The cord also gives to the bag a finished appearance at the end, and to this extent is a valuable adjunct even to a fabric bag, regardless of how it is subsequently closed. The cord and the turnedln edge portion ll favor filling by preventing particles from filtering in between the paper layers should they not be joined by asphalt, as is often the case.

After the bag has been filled in the field, the field operator may sew it shut simply by stitching his twine 69 under the cord ii and above the edge E of the paper bag, as indicated in Figs. 4. and 5. The arrows in Figs. 4 and 5 suggest this operation. After each stitch, the operator looks it and proceeds to the next, using one continuous twine. Finally, at the end he provides a knot as indicated at 2! in Fig. 5.

The result is as shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6. The string which the field operator has applied simply holds together the opposite reaches of the cord H, the cord being that which is factory-anchored to the multi-walls of the bag by means of the plugged-up factory-applied stitching It.

It is not a tedious operation with the needle to find the location between the cord Ii and the edge I5, since there is a more or less V-shaped entry at this point of tangency between the cord and the upper edge of the bag. Furthermore, if the operator happens to strike the paper edge, it is more or less deflecting and resistant to penetration and forms a guide to the proper entry position under the cord ii. If the operator happens to strike the cord ll above the point of tangency and goes through part of it, penetration of the cord will occur, but this is satisfactory, since the twine l9 will hold whether it entirely loops the cord H or passes through it.

As indicated in Figs. 1 and6, the portions of the cord ll adjacent one edge 4 of the bag may be extended in its factory application, as shown at 8 in Figs. 1 and 6. This forms a means for grasping the cord to jerk it, if it is desired to open the bag by ripping of the closure as a whole. The stitching i3 being weaker than the cord H, as it should preferably be, will result in rippin the entire closure from the bag without damaging the bag, beyond breaking said stitching. It will be seen that, when the extension 8 is grasped and the closure opened by pulling on the cord i i so as to break the weaker stitching l3, with this operation the sewing twine comes oif along with the cord ll, thus leaving the bag with an open mouth and nothing left thereon except fragments of the stitching I3.

If the above mode of opening is not provided for, as by eliminating extensions 8, then the bag may be opened simply by inserting a sharp instrument such as a knife in between the two reaches of the cord H and cutting the loops 2!] of twine is (see the dotted line M) in Fig. 4). This leaves the bag useful for a second refilling and closure if desired. In this case the stitching l3 may be made stronger than the cord ll, since its release by ripping is not necessary.

Opening may also be accomplished by unknotting at 2i and withdrawing the string 19 by unthreading it from the successive loops.

In Figs. 7-10 is shown how the invention is applied to gusseted bags. In these figures, the bag walls and gussets are multi-ply without intermediate adhesive, but the separate plies have not been shown in the drawings and are to be inferred. It will be seen that in the case of a susseted bag the dimculty of hand sewing through at the point of the gusset is accentuated. The invention is therefore particularly advantageous in this case. However, it will not do simply to sew the anchor cord ll around and following the V-shape of the gusset, because it would then be impracticable to turn the bag mouth down at the gussets.

This problem is solved by folding out and down the upper portion of each inner gusset edge 23, reversing its crease at the region 25. This is done before the cord is stitched on. This causes the upper ends of the inner sides 27 of the gusset to be arranged as triangles'29. These are within the upper end of the gusset. Then reaches of the cord ii are sewn by stitching i3 through the opposite side of the bag on lines spaced from its open mouth. Since the upper ends of the inner sides of the gusset 2! are turned down to form the triangles 29, only small tip regions 31 of these triangles are positioned outside of the cord. Thus it becomes an easy matter to fold the opposite edges of the bag mouth on lines A, B and C, D (Fig. 8). The folds are made over and inward as shown by the curved arrows so that the folded portions 33 lie turned down adjacent one another inside the mouth of the bag (Fig. 9). This places the cord H as diagrammed in Fig. 10, under which the closing twine may be sewn as above described, thereby holding shut the opposite sides of the bag mouth. The folded-in portions 33 lie more regularly adjacent one another in the midportions of the bag mouth, than they do at the end portions which are indicated in Fig. 10. At the ends of the bag there is a closure action not unlike that associated with the ordinary valve bag. The part 29 presses up against the foldeddown portions 33 to forma closure against leaka e.

In Fortuin Patent 2,242,857 is described the idea of sewing shut a bag by means of stitching through a rip cord but therein the stitching that holds the cord to the bag also forms the closure per se. Herein the stitching only holds the cord to the bag walls and added twine stitching efiects the closure per se. The present invention is an improvement upon said Fortuin structure allowing closure in the field without manually piercing the paper walls.

The distinctive terms stitching for strand l3, cord for strand II and twine for strand ill, have "been used only for purposes of distinguishing these various strands in the claims and not by way of any limitations to be implied from the common usage of these terms.

In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of the invention are achieved and other advantageous results attained.

As many changes could be made in the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. In a bag, a cord stitched to the outside of the bag and spaced from the end of the material forming the bag, and being substantially parallel to said end, the portions of the material between said cord and said end being turned into the bag to form a turned edge and presenting the cord endwise of the finished bag on the outside of said turned edge where itis available to be used alone as an anchor for losure twine.

2. In a bag, a pad-like cord stitched around most of the outside of the bag and spaced from the end of the material forming the bag, the stitches being less strong than the cord whereby the former may be ripped out by the latter, said pad-like cord acting to plug the needle holes of said stitching and being substantially parallel to said end, the portions of the material between said cord and said end being turned into the bag to form a turned edge and presenting the cord endwise on the outside of the finished bag throughout most of the length of its month where said cord is available to be used alone as an anchor for closure twine and as a rip cord for bag-opening purposes.

3. In a paper bag, a closure comprising a cord stitched by separate stitching to the outside of the bag and spaced from the end of the paper, the portions of the bag between said cord and said end being turned into the bag to present the cord endwise, and closure twine stitched around adjacent parts of said cord by loops adapted to draw said parts together to close the mouth of the bag without the twine intersecting the paper walls.

4. In a multi-wall paper bag, a closure comprising a cord stitched by stitching which is weaker than the cord' to the outside of the bag and spaced from the end of the paper, said stitching passing through all walls of the paper, the portions of the bag between said cord and said mouth edge being turned into the bag to present the cord endwise, and closure twine stitched substantially around adjacent reaches of said cord by loops adapted to draw said reaches together to close the mouth of the bag without the twine intersecting the paper walls.

5. In a multl-wall paper bag, a closure comprising a cord stitched to the outside of the bag by separate stitching which is weaker than the cord and being spaced from its month end, the portions of the bag between said cord and said mouth edge being turned into the bag to present the cord endwise, and closure twine stitch d substantially around adjacent reaches of said cord by loops adapted to draw said reaches together to close the mouth 01' the bag without the twine intersecting the paper walls, said cord being formed with an extension from one side of the bag to act as a gri for pulling on said cord when desired with force enough to break said stitching, whereby the closure may be reopened.

6. A closure for a multi-wall bag comprising a cord stitched to the finished edge of the bag by means of stitching passing through the cord and the multi-walls, and a sewn closing twine looped substantially around adjacent reaches of said cord and substantially passing between it and the edge of the bag without intersecting the bag walls.

7. IA closure for a multi-wall paper bag comprising a cord stitched to a turned edge of the bag by means of separate stitching passing through the cord and the turned edge of the bag, and a sewing twine looped substantially around adajcent reaches of said cord and passing substantially between it and the edge of the bag without intersecting the paper of the bag wall.

8. A closure for a multi-wall bag comprising a cord stitched to a finished turned edge of the bag by means of stitching passing through the cord and the bag wall, and a sewing twine looped around adjacent reaches of said cord and passing between it and the edge of the bag without intersecting the bag wall, the stitching which holds the cord to the bag being weaker than the cord, the latter extending from the end of the bag, whereby it may be grasped and used as a rip cord to break said stitching when it is desired to open the bag. J

9. A closure for a multi-wail, gusseted paper bag, comprising a portion of the gussets adjacent the bag mouth turned down and out todetermine at the upper ends of the gussets adjacent triangular portions in each gusset, parallel reaches of cord sewn to opposite walls of the bag, said reaches of cord being spaced a short distance from the end of the bag material and intersecting said triangular portions.

10. A closure for a multi-wall, gusseted paper bag, comprising a portion of the gussets adjacent the bag mouth turned down and out to determine at the upper ends of the gussets adjacent triangular portions in each gusset, parallel reaches of cord sewn to opposite walls of the bag. said reaches of cord being spaced at short distance from the end of the bag material and intersecting said triangular portions, so as to leave only limited portions thereof which form portions of the bag walls beyond the cord, all of said portions being folded into position inside the bag, and closing twine looped around portions of said reaches of cord to hold them together to effect bag closure.

CHARLES V. BRADY. 

